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AIDAI is the only cultural magazine that has survived the toughest challenges in time: it was launched in 1944 in Munich, printed in the United States from 1949, and since 1992 it has been merging with the New Fireplace published in 1991 by the Religion and Culture magazine in Vilnius.

In December 1944, Vytautas Bieliauskas, in the Bavarian capital of Munich, devised and began to allow the day-to-day release of the Aid newspaper. Edited by poet K. Bradūnas. Thanks to him, since the autumn of 1945, the newspaper has become a “cultural – informational” publication, and since the beginning of 1946 it has become the official “cultural magazine”.
From June 1947 to November 1948, the magazine was released in Augsburg. Publisher Juozas Sakevičius, editor K. Bradūnas.

Since 1949, the magazine has been moved to Schwabisch Gmund, published five numbers (edited by John Grinny, later by Paul Jurkus). In October of the same year, it was taken over by the Lithuanian Franciscans in the United States. The first numbers came to Kennenbunkport, Maine, then in Brooklyn and Manchester UK.

Aid, released in Germany for four years, has grown from a small newspaper edition to an independent cultural magazine.

Thanks to the editorial expertise, talented and professional authors worked on it. Writers such as Antanas Vaičiulaitis, Bernardas Brazdžionis, Jonas Aistis, Jurgis Jankus, Mykolas Vaitkus, Faustas Kirša, Stasys Santvaras, Kazys Bradūnas, Alfonsas Nyka -Niliūnas, Henrikas Nagys and others were published. creativity Wanted to attract and encourage young developers – 1946 a novelty competition was published. The first prize was not assigned to anyone, the second was won by little Adolf Mekas for the short novel “One of the many”, and the third, also a young writer, Paul Jurkus for the novel “Brick”. The magazine printed not only original works, translations of world literature, but also valuable articles on the topics of science, history, literature and theater. 1947-1948 On pages of help, printed by John Gray,

The magazine was co-operated by talented artists – Viktoras Petravičius, Rome Viesulas, Vytautas Kazys Jonynas, Paulius Augius, Telesforas Valius. Reproductions of their works of art were printed. Aid has become not only a mirror of the contemporary cultural life, but also the main engine that promotes equalization in the higher art.

The intellectual content and flawless aesthetic appearance have determined the success of the magazine – it has become popular and popular among readers, not only in Germany, but also in America, Australia. The difficult living conditions in Germany and the emigration of writers to other continents have been painfully responsive to the release of the magazine. Lithuanians Franciscans in America, who have long been famous for fostering Lithuanians and preserving their national identity in a foreign land, were concerned about the existence of the magazine. They took the magazine’s publication, hoping to preserve a precious Lithuanian word for print. Franciscans followed conservative right-wing views, which met not only the majority of intellectuals, but also the attitudes and attitudes of the wider society.

The U.S. authorized Aids expanded the circle of collaborators. Articles that have a lasting value for literary and cultural history were written by Juozas Brazaitis, Jonas Girnius, Juozas Grinius, Antanas Maceina, Vydūnas, Vincas Maciūnas, Antanas Vaičiulaitis. Not only the original works of the older generations were printed – from A. Vaičiulaitis, Jurgis Jankaus, Bernardas Brazdžionis, Gražina Tulauskaitė-Babrauskienė, Kotryna Grigaityte, Petronelė Orintaitė, but also the younger ones who started to create in Germany, America – Jonas Mekas, Maryte Saulaitė, Danguolė Sadūnaitė , Algimantas Mackaus, Liūna Sutemos. Drama works by Kost Ostrauskas, Algirdas Landsbergis. The main reviewers were Juozas Brazaitis, Vladas Kulbokas, Jonas Grinius (Milušis nickname), Jonas Aistis, Juozas Girnius (Alaušo slap.), Alfonsas Nyka -Niliūnas, Pranas Naujokaitis, Henrikas Nagys (J.Vakario slap.), And most of the reviews were written by Antanas Vaičiulaitis (Aug.Raginis slap.). The ranks of the literary critics were supplemented by the younger ones, specialists who studied at the end of the continent or who were studying elsewhere – Rimvydas Šilbajoris, Birutė Ciplijauskaitė.

Magazine’s editors paid special attention to Lithuanian language and literature. When raising the significance of the great writers for Lithuanian culture, they prepared and published separate numbers for Maironis and Donelaitis. From 1952 to 1965, the magazine edited literary and scientific prizes.

Francis the poet Leonard Andriekus entered the editorial board from the first moments of the magazine’s release in the United States, but since 1980 has become the last editor in the magazine overseas. With the collapse of co-workers, the magazine started to go with an increase in the number of pages every second, and then every third month. In 1992 it was decided to transfer this magazine to Lithuania and connect it with the New Fireplace allowed there.

The magazine Aidai, who lived for forty-eight years, with the concern and money of Franciscans, has become one of the most significant cultural magazines in the history of Lithuania. It contains the intellectual property of intellectuals with invaluable enduring value. In these days, it is particularly important to look back to the past and to appreciate the world-view and ideological diversity of our heritage.

The Franciscans of Lithuania, appreciating the inherited Asset Property, seek to not only preserve it for future generations but also popularize it. In order to cherish and to open this cultural-intellectual material to the wider society, the magazine was intended to be digitized. We hope that the attention will be drawn not only to those interested in literature and culture, but also to the people of the government, from which the financial and moral support of our cultural survival depends.